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Chapter Ten: The Calm Before the Storm
The night continued to stretch on for Kang Gum-Young. He was still cold, and his legs throbbed as he sat on the pavement of the back lot, immobilized by the damage he received. Normally he'd be pissed, even outraged, at being dealt such a humiliating blow by such inferiors. The only satisfaction he possessed was the fact that he had let them win, and in his mind, he knew that he could have taken them out without playing this silly game. No doubt his 'comrades' would be upset at his brash action, but he was certain he had figured out what Zach's power was, and that was the information they desired. There was no point in using trickery or deception; he had won his information straight up. Still, it didn't help that his legs were unwilling to move, and as the numbness began to fade, his entire body was racking up with pain. He wasn't too far from the gym, he could always crawl his way there, and patch himself up, yet he remained, knowing what was about to happen. A secret meeting was being called. They'd find him, those bastards. They were strange like that. They'd just appear wherever you were, and there was no way you could hide from them. Still, they didn't frighten him. He would surpass them eventually, because he was destined to. To be the best, to stand on top of all others. To be the king. His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden sound of footsteps against the pavement. "Oh my, it looks like you got beat up pretty bad. Well that's okay, we still need to talk, 678203." It was annoying how this man used his number instead of his name. "Whatever, son of bitch appearing out of nowhere. My name's Kang Gum-Young, don't you forget it!" His visitor was a young man, in his mid twenties. He looked down at Kang for a moment with a disheartened expression. "Well, I have a lot of people to visit, so I'll get down to it, uh, try not to move, okay?" He asked as he examined Kang carefully. "Wait, wha-?" before Kang could finish his sentence, he appeared in another empty lot, different from where he was before. There, a number of people were standing about, including one girl who was at the picnic he crashed. There was another man standing next to her, examining the sudden appearance of Kang with great interest. Across from both of them, was a crate, and on top of that crate was a computer monitor. "What the hell? Not going to show up are you?" Kang spat, forcing himself into a seated position. "Exposing myself at this time would be foolish. While originally I intended to meet you all in person, the circumstances have changed." The voice was distorted, as it crackled through the computer's speaker system. "That's understandable. But what do you propose our next move is?" The older man asked, just as the one who had 'transported' Kang returned suddenly. "Well, it seems like he's not coming." He reported. "Very well. This will suffice. To clear up confusion, I'm assigning you a temporary letter. We don't need to know all of our number placements at this time." The voice then directed a letter counterclockwise around the circle, starting itself with the letter A, Kang, in the middle, was given B, the lab coat wearing graduate student was C, the girl, D, and the transporter, was E. "I don't need a stupid letter! I'm Kang Gum-Young, and you all know it!" He exclaimed angrily. "And you are currently the only one here who is in contact with the Lodestar..." C stated amusedly. "What exactly is this Lodestar?" The girl, who was in fact Chisa Yang, asked curiously. "It is a complicated topic, one that isn't necessary to explain at this point. It is best to think of the Lodestar as a god-like being, and that it means ill will to all humanity." A replied. "So, what's our next move? Did we figure out that uh, Carter guy's...power?" E asked scratching his head. "Yeah! He has the ability to freeze shit! He turned me ice cold!" Kang butted in, but the computerized voice refuted it instantly. "That is incorrect. Zach's power revolves around heating and cooling, by adjusting the speed of molecules. It is fitting of his logical nature. He wasn't intending to hide his power, in fact, he openly showed all of his friends, didn't he, D?" The voice asked Chisa and she nodded. "Yeah...that's right, he did." "What about his friends? If we intend to go to 'war', so to speak, with Zach and his friends, we need to know the powers of every one of them." C suggested and once again Kang chimed in. "Ha! I might have been wrong about Zach, but that Lasr girl has some crazy ass powers!" Chisa looked at Kang awkwardly for a moment. "Yeah, I sort of...told them that already." She stated. "Ah, fuck, then why'd you drag me all the way here?" He demanded. "I think we are going to confine you for a while. We can't have you running around, especially if Zach intends to hunt you down every time you use your power. As for figuring out the powers of his friends...that will be a task for you, D." Chisa looked down for a moment, as if conflicted. "What if I don't want to? It doesn't seem right, asking me to spy on my own friends. It's not like they're getting in your way." Kang scoffed. "I bet I could do it! Round up all those fuckers and beat them senseless." A remained silent for a while. "If you don't want to, that's fine. I have another idea. I mentioned this before, but some of my acquaintances are coming here soon. When they arrive, Zach and his friends will most certainly be agitated into showing their abilities. In the meantime... E, why don't you take Kang to his new home?" "Sure thing...boss..." He said walking up to Kang. "What the hell? Where the hell are you going to take me?!" He shouted, but it was cut off as he was sent away to an unknown location. "While you are at it, why don't you take D home as well? We can finish discussing her plan later..." In another blink of an eye, the girl was gone. Now, only three remained in the empty lot. "So, is 134530 working on what I requested?" A asked, and C nodded. "Yes, I believe he is going to start tomorrow in fact." C replied. "Good. How's 090012?" "Fine as well. I may have to work with 454590 again, but...all's well that ends well." C stated, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Ah, one last thing. I need you to look into 569817 for me, can you do that, E? If you find anything interesting, especially regarding any connections to that girl...I'd appreciate it." The man smiled with a small wave. "Sure, sure...you got it." And with that he disappeared. * * * The apartment was dark, and the rooms were quiet, but not empty. Thick curtains covered the windows, hardly letting any sun in at all. There were many boxes stacked up high in the kitchen, nearly reaching the countertop. They were filled with canned goods, and bottled water, befitting the look of a post-apocalyptic storeroom. Nalani sat quietly at her computer, typing softly as she occasionally looked over her shoulder. It was almost time for her brother to wake up. They continued on like this, for a number of weeks almost, and it was starting to wear on him, she suspected. Ever since the phantom hunt, he had locked himself up inside his apartment, offering excuses to anyone who tried to contact him. Even though she was allowed to go out, she opted to stay with him the majority of the time. Sometimes she wished they had actually gone to Hungary, to get away from this mess. It might have even open her brother’s mind, since it had retreated into such a dark place. He then emerged rubbing the sleep from his eyes and turning just slightly to her. "Bro...are you okay?” She asked and he nodded with a yawn. Just moments after, a furious pounding rapped against the door, and a frantic voice followed. "Ryan! Open up! Please...?" Akeia begged as she continued to knock. The siblings froze in their place, not expecting a visitor at all, Ryan stared at the door annoyedly. "I know you are in there, so please answer, this is important!" A stern expression crossed the Dark-Shades face as he approached the door. Slowly, he unhinged the chain lock, and pulled it open, letting the girl inside, and then quickly shutting it behind her. "What are you doing here?" He hissed and she frowned in response. "I saw it! I don't know why it's back, but I saw it!" She blurted out, and he sighed, directing them to the kitchen table. "Hold on, let me make some coffee, I need to wake up before all this." He stated tiredly, turning on the kitchen light. "You just woke up? It’s almost one thirty!" Akeia exclaimed looking over to Nalani with a courteous nod. They sat in silence for a while, as the Dark-Shades brewed his coffee, and poured himself a bowl of canned peaches. “You’ve been in here all this time? Why don’t you go out? What’s going on here?” Akeia demanded, turning from one to the other. “Don’t worry about that.” He stated pouring himself a cup of coffee and sighed. "So you saw it...I assume you mean the future..." He trailed off, catching Nalani's confused expression. "It's a long story sis, I'll make sure I tell it to you sometime. In short, every once in a while, Akeia can see glimpses of what is going to happen..." He explained, as they sat in the darkness. "Now, tell me what it was that had you racing all the way out here." He asked calmly and she exhaled heavily. "Well, I heard that you guys were on vacation or something, and I was confused because you know, when I saw this vision, you were here, and some man came in and I didn't think you would want to be exposed because Nalani went all out..." She trailed off, looking down at the table. "I wanted to warn you. Because, you know, it's just like that one time, when everything started..." She paused again and he leaned back in his chair. "I understand, but, we must move quickly. What did this man look like? What was he wearing, exactly? At what point in time does the vision start?" He asked. "He was wearing a...pair of normal jeans, a gray T-shirt, and...a green hat of some kind. My vision started with him breaking down your apartment door and then...everything went crazy after that." Ryan thought it over carefully, looking from Akeia to Nalani and then back to an empty spot at the center of the table. He tapped his fingers onto the smooth wood surface and then, he snapped. "I've concluded that this man does not live in this complex, which means, there must be some method of him gaining entry. Either he's acquired a keypad to open the front doors, or he gets let in...in order to reach this room, there are really only two options. So...here's what we'll do..." * * * It was a scorching hot day, and even under the protection of his fishing hat, Erik could feel the sun bearing down on him. It didn't help that he had to walk to his destination, although it was just a couple of blocks away. Every once in a while, he'd look down at the slip of paper in his hand. It was scribbled with the address to whoever this ‘Mr. Dark-Shades’ was. With a heavy sigh, he stopped just outside of the apartment complex, the Highland Estates. It looked decent enough, with four floors, and outdoor balconies. He walked up through the parking lot, past the garages and into the first set of doors he noticed. There, standing in the entrance was an odd girl with long pink hair. She was looking through the glass door with an annoyed expression on her face. As soon as he entered the doorway, she turned to him. "Excuse me, but do you have a key?" She asked, and his brow furrowed. It made him a little nervous being asked such a question, but there was a sense of urgency in her voice. "No...I'm actually here to visit a friend of mine." He stated, noticing that this door was, in fact, locked. "Oh! You see, my brother locked me out as a stupid prank!" She complained, taking one last look back through the door and then shaking her head. "If you want to get in, you should come to the other entrance...here, let me show you!" She led him back outside, and took him around the building to a side entrance. She was a cheerful, youthful girl, and a bit quirky, he noted. "Are you a student at the university?" She asked as they walked and he nodded. "Yeah..." They reentered the building, and came across an intercom system. "Ah, here we are...oh, I know! Why don't you call your friend first, so I can trick my brother!" She exclaimed. "Ah, sure..." He opened the menu on the intercom screen, and scrolled through the list of names. For a moment, he wasn't expecting to see anyone with the name 'Dark-Shades', but he surprisingly found it on the third page. He typed in the three digit code, and waited as it called the room. After a short pause, someone picked up. "Hello...? Who's this?" The voice sounded fairly tired. "Ah, Ryan Dark-Shades?" Erik asked, speaking into the speaker. "Huh? Yeah...who is this?" It was clear that this Ryan fellow wasn't expecting him, which made it a bit awkward, but he figured that if he wasn't let in here, perhaps this girl's brother would let them in. "This is Erik, Erik Heiden...I wanted to speak with you about something important." He normally didn't give out his name, but he suspected that if he didn't have to use his powers, it would be okay. "Oh...okay...I guess I'll let you in." There was a soft buzzing noise, as the door unlocked, allowing them access inside. "Thanks! Time to get revenge!" She waved happily, as she ran down the first floor hallway. Erik glanced up at the stairs before him. This, Dark-Shades fellow lived on the fourth floor, and was now expecting him. Things were going along smoothly. He stalked the halls until he found the room, and knocked softly. A stone silence followed. He knocked again, a little harder, and then called out. "Hello? Ryan?" He paused for a moment, and then he tried the knob. The door was locked. Perhaps he was just a bit slow getting out of bed? Yet, he was dealing with someone who most likely had a power. He knocked a little heavier this time. A couple of minutes passed by, and then a sinking fear began to creep within him. Could it be that he knew he was coming? But even if he did, he shouldn't know that he had a power, or that he was threatening in the least. He clenched his fist, and slowly, it transformed into solid rock. He pounded the door, and with one calculated hit, he managed to pop it open, without damaging the doorframe too badly. He stepped inside of the apartment, and noticed that it was dark, and nearly vacant. Everything was turned off. He stood in the hallway for a moment, listening to the silence. If Ryan Dark-Shades was here hiding, why would he unlock the door in the first place? He let his back harden to rock, as a precaution, and then he examined every room. There was no doubt about it now. He wasn't here, he had left. His eyes widened. 'That girl! She must have been associated with him! But...how could that be possible? How could they know that I was coming? Or that I had possibly ill intentions? Unless, they have some sort of power that gives them such insights...I've been had...but, where would they go?' His mind stopped at the sudden revelation that struck him lightning. They had his name, the one piece of information they needed. Without a second thought, he closed the door, and raced out of the apartment. * * * Akeia was driving, and Ryan was already in the passenger seat when Nalani came running out of the apartment and had quickly gotten into the back. Already, the Dark Shades was on his phone, looking up their mysterious visitor. "Aha, here it is! His student profile. A resident of the Riverside Dormitories, the sixth floor in fact!" A bright smile was clearly etched on his face as they zoomed down the road towards their destination. "Riverside, isn't that securely locked now?" Akeia asked. "Well, I just happen to know a resident there who might be of some help..." He replied smugly. Nalani leaned forward, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Bro, should you really be doing that?" She asked and he sighed. "Well, our cover has already been blown. Besides, this preemptive strike may play into our hand later." They continued on, and eventually parked just outside of the dorms. Ryan had contacted Lasr, and once again she complied in letting them inside. "It is good to see you again, fellow watcher!" It was evident that Ryan was in a good mood, and Lasr simply nodded in response. "You're actually a neighbor of this character, this Erik Heiden...aren't you?" Ryan asked, and once again, a silent nod. They quickly ascended to the sixth floor. "Now, which room is his...?" He asked, and Lasr pointed at one of the doors. "He lives there." She stated quietly, and the Dark Shades nodded. "Splendid. Now, I suspect that he's broken my door, so it's only fair...Nalani...could you?" He asked and the girl smiled as she approached the door. Lasr watched intently as Nalani created a fist with her hand and then pounded the door, blowing it open entirely. Both Akeia and Lasr were taken aback by this show of strength. Without any second thoughts, they strolled right into the room and began to search for evidence. "The computer here is on, let me see, ah, a RUNE document? Oho, this is interesting. Damn...I wasn't expecting to come upon something like this!" Directly in front of him was an array of information that had been shared between a very secretive organization. An entire line of orders directed to Erik throughout the semester and after. Lasr hung about indecisively, she had things she wanted to do, but, this interesting development was too rare a chance to pass up. "What is it bro? What did you find?" Nalani asked. "Take a look at this, it's a hit-list of some kind. Apparently, this organization is recruiting...of course, you know about these special powers everyone's talking about, don't you Miss. Revales?" He asked, turning to Lasr, who didn't know how to respond. At this point in time, was there any reason to hide the fact that she had inhuman powers? Everyone at the picnic saw her fighting Kang, which surprisingly didn't include the people standing directly before her. She had only met Dark-Shades once during the phantom hunt. It was quite the mystery how he knew about the powers, and yet was seemingly absent from almost every single event that revolved around them. "I can't believe this though...how could they possibly suspect me of having a power? How...I don't have a power, so how could they possibly suspect me? Who would suspect me..." He looked down at the list on the notepad that reflected Erik's attempt to decipher the six digit users to actual people. "It seems like our friend isn't exactly on good terms with these people. This, anti-lodestar faction. I will need some time with this data..." He removed a flash drive from his pocket and began to copy the various files. "Um, I know it's a bit late for this, but aren't you worried about the police...?" Akeia asked, looking out of the window. "Not particularly. Even if Mr. Heiden reports that we broke open his door and stole valuable data from his computer, they aren't likely to do anything about it." With a click of the mouse, he finished gathering the data and stood up. "Come on, we must return home! Surely he's still not scrounging around our apartment...if that were the case, we'd just have to recruit him for ourselves!" The trio departed, and Lasr watched as they left, still analyzing all that happened. She wanted to look at the files herself, but, she had a feeling that it wouldn't bode well for her. So she slinked back into her own room, waiting for Erik's inevitable return, and the devastation that was bound to follow. * * * It was obvious now that he was finished. Thoroughly finished. For that brief moment, he had lost his head, and had raced haphazardly back to his dorm, only to find it already infiltrated. Nothing stolen, but he had unfortunately left his computer unlocked. No doubt all the RUNE documents, and files he had accumulated over the months had been scoured, and most likely sent or taken by some fashion. At first he had the mind to wait and ambush them back at the apartment, but the fact that they just might be able to see the near future blew any chances of him outsmarting them. Who could say what sort of powers they had? It was clear that Ryan Dark-Shades was not working alone. He had no choice but to contact one of his superiors. The only one he could, was 278921. He logged into the secure chat. 134530: I have bad news...I believe that one of the people I was trying to recruit has the ability to see into the near future. They anticipated my moves, and stole all of my data. They're going to have insights to all of our plans as far as I know. 278921: This is indeed bad news. I can't believe that things went so wrong. I will have to inform 320124 at once. Hold on, let me try and form a group chat. He sat at his computer, nervous, shaking. He should've done it differently! He should've tried something else, at least, not give his name! What's more, he didn't know what his 'comrades' would do. Would they expel him, try to get rid of him? If that was the case then... his eyes drifted to the notebook nearby. No doubt it was glanced at. Could it be fate? Was he not supposed to be helping these people? But, the anti-Lodestar faction wasn't bad, was it? The sound of a reply snapped him back to the screen. 320124: Do not worry. This blunder couldn't have been avoided. Even if he can see the near future, it will be limited severely I suspect. I assume you were trailing Mr. Dark Shades, as he was the first on the list? 134530: Yes, but he's not acting alone. I think he has an accomplice, some pink haired high-school girl. I don't know her name, she was Asian. 320124: I see. That is interesting. I think that we will have to accelerate our recruiting process. 278921, please aid in this. If we can reach them before Zach, or Dark-Shades, we can out power them if a struggle occurs. It should be our top priority to recruit these people to our cause. The Lodestar is growing anxious since we imprisoned Kang Gum-Young. Even I am having trouble keeping him at bay. 278921: Very well, I will get on it as soon as possible. 134530: What should I do? 320124: For the time being, lay low. Right now, I consider Dark-Shades to be just as threatening as Zach Carter. This is a variable I will have to uncover myself. Please be more careful from now on. 134530: Okay... He leaned back and sighed. They took it rather well, but he was still left with that burning question. Should he consider switching sides? If the anti-lodestar faction managed to win this weird, supernatural war, then everything would just disappear, right? But, what if they were lying? He shook his head. He needed to sleep, also, he needed to fix that lock. * * * As evening fell, the hot day faded into a nervous chill. An urgent wind came and went periodically, pulling and tugging on trees, and brushing up against homes. The horizon dimmed, as billowing clouds began to loom in the distance. There was tension in the air outside, just around every corner. A beckoning to all, to return to their homes before a coming storm. The birds gave their last call, as if the world were standing still before it moved again. The cheerful cries of children were gone, the lonely cars streaked along the road. This was all she saw, staring out her living room window, captivated by the eerie calm that had fallen. Keira adjusted her glasses as she heard the front door open and shut, with a sudden clamor. Her trance had been broken, and now, it was time to spend the night with good cheer. "It's been a while!" Serah called, embracing her friend as they greet each other. "I know! It feels like we've been far away, only reunited just now!" She exclaimed. It had been a long wrought plan, that they would spend this night together. But, it would not be as exciting, if it hadn't been for the undeniable presence of Raye Serenity. Who was, at this time, mysteriously late. "It feels so weird, because we were at the same school, but never saw each other." Serah exclaimed and Keira nodded slowly. "Raye should be coming soon, let's wait downstairs." There was much to talk about, and even more so when Raye joined them. There was nothing weird about it at the time, but before long, they got to telling strange stories of all that had happened over the past couple of months. Naturally, Serah wanted to have some tact in referring to supernatural powers. Zach might have thought it a good idea to share it with everyone, but for once, she wanted nothing to do with strange otherworldly things. "Oh, remember when we had that dream?" Kiki, Keira's given nickname, asked, and Raye nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! Oh my god that was scary. Though, I don't remember what happened in it, I just remember being scared." Serah looked perplexedly at her two friends. "What happened?" She asked curiously. "Okay, so not too long ago, we had this strange dream, I think. Well, we were roommates at the time at the University. We don't remember it happening, but we both woke up at the same time, just screaming our lungs out. Like, full out." Serah looked down for a moment. A memory came to her then, of a particular morning where she woke up under such unknown distress. It wasn't long after that she had developed her wind manipulation power. "Did you guys...by chance, notice anything weird after that?" She asked, and the other two girls exchanged glances. "Oh my god...is this, don't tell me that you had the same dream?" Raye asked and Serah nodded, still disturbed by the fact that she couldn't remember the details. "I think so? I remember waking up feeling...really distressed." Kiki and Raye nodded. "And then...?" They asked. "And then, I've had this ability to manipulate wind..." The cat had jumped out of the bag. "So we're not the only ones..." Kiki trailed off into space. "Actually, Zach, and Vance, and a lot of other people have powers too." Serah stated, as she began to explain the series of events that had happened up to this point. From the moment she saw Zach using his power by the river, to her own dream, to hunting phantoms and beating up Kang after the picnic. It was all received with amazement by Raye and Kiki. As they shared stories, a strange occurrence, or pattern, seemed to develop. It was as if prior to having their dream sequence, the other didn't even exist. There were many times when they would've liked to have met up during the school year, or to have been included in some of the events that had taken place, but everytime, without fail, it never came together. If it hadn't been for the fact they had supernatural powers, and strange dreams, they might not have doubted such a series of inconveniences. "Maybe I should tell Zach about you guys, so we can work together?" Serah asked, but Raye smiled mischievously. "No, don't tell him! I want to surprise him..." Keira could only share in her friend Raye's deviance. "She has a very...good power." They passed the night, as loud thunder cracked the sky. Bonus! Chapter 10 edition Zach: Welcome everyone to the first ever bonus chapter edition thingy! I honestly don't know what we're going to talk about, but allow me to introduce to you my lovable co-hosts and hostesses! First up, we have the number one of everything, Dysley Alcott! Dysley: Oh yeah! Look at me baby! Zach: Next we have the scheming, devious, yet...innocent...? Chisa Yang! Chisa: Oh ho ho ho ho! Zach: And last, but not least, the most mysterious shades wearing shady guy, Ryan Dark-Shades! Ryan: Hello. Zach: Alright! So, Mr. Dark-Shades, I believe you have some idea what this bonus is about, don't you? Ryan: Ah, yes, I received this mysterious document in the mail. Ahem. It would seem that a special election of sorts is going on. Here, why don't you read it out loud for our viewers? Zach: Sure, ah, let's see here! Huh, what's this? A character popularity poll? Isn't that something reserved for manga and things? It doesn't seem very fitting for such a small organization... Ryan: Er well, that's not exactly what this is. Well, sort of, but continue reading. Zach: Mm...ah! It's an invitation for the hosts and co-hosts of our next .5 chapter?! Wait, am I being dethroned? Ryan: Well hey now, aren't you a pretty popular guy? What's with the sudden lack of confidence? Dysley: Because you know, everyone is going to vote for me! Chisa: Ah, this is very interesting...but how will they decide who's going to feature in the next .5 chapter? Zach: Ah, good point. It says here that our viewers will have to vote on who they want to be in it. Due to the limited number of viewers we have, they are allowed to list two different characters. Huh, interesting. Ryan: So basically, the first person they pick will be the main character of that episode? Chisa: And the second person they pick will be counted for a side character...ohh! I like this idea! Dysley: Ha..ha...they'll pick me of course...ha...ha... Zach: Wow! It goes onto say that it can be any character named or unnamed in the series thus far! And will premier as a special .5 chapter based on the tallied votes! Gee. I sure hope nobody feels bad for not getting picked. Ryan: I'm not particularly worried... Chisa: Yeah, I wonder why. Zach: Ah, so here's the submission form! What the hell?! Why is the poll being done on Facebook? Ryan: Ahem. Ah, read a little closely. Zach: Oh, we can also submit votes via PM to the admin on the official forums! Wow, this is quite elaborate! Chisa: How long does the poll last? Zach: Oh, well, it says here...until the next chapter comes out, whenever that is. Ryan: I hope it's not too confusing..since people technically get two choices. Zach: Yeah... well, I think this is great! Since those .5 chapters are quite popular y'know so I was thinking-- Dysley: Zzz.... Ryan: Oh! look at the time! Let's just end it here! Chisa: Goodnight everyone! Zach: And don't forget to vote! ~End~